Taraichi

We drove about three hours straight from Kansai Airport, and it was worth the trip. My family had a great stay last week, especially the generous, delicious dinner. The next morning the weather was lovely, and the sunrise was beautiful. The beach is just a five-minute drive away, and the Avenue of Metasequoia trees is another five minutes down the road. Loved it!

Hiro was so welcoming and accommodating. He showed us his shiba inu and duck, and even got things ready for us to make tofu though we hadn’t asked ahead. That activity costs extra, but it was totally worth it. In winter you can also request mochitsuki, pounding rice into mochi, and in summer or fall you can make noodles, though I can’t remember whether he said soba, ramen or udon. Hiro’s English is limited, but he’s engaging and has such good energy. We asked him to join us for dinner, and my daughter loved that. This is an old-style house, so it’s fantastic if you aren’t expecting Western or modern comforts. My daughter called it the Totoro house. You sleep on Japanese futons laid on tatami mats, which might feel hard or uncomfortable if you’re used to Western beds. Meals are on the tatami too, though there are a couple of small Western chairs for anyone who finds floor seating difficult. The Japanese-style bathroom has the toilet, sink and vanity in one section, and the shower and separate furo, a deep tub for soaking after washing, in a third. It isn’t the most modern, but it was clean and roomier than the Western hotel bathrooms we had elsewhere in Japan. There’s a TV, the wifi worked great, and there’s a Bluetooth speaker for music. Tourist attractions are limited nearby, but it’s peaceful: a short walk takes you among fields, and the house is near a forest. A little stream runs along the road, making for a calm, easy walk up the mountain. The gohan cooked on the old-style stove was the best rice we ate on the whole trip. I wish we’d bought some local rice. Dinner can get a little smoky, but my mild asthma was fine.

The setting is a quiet little farming village at the foot of the mountains near Biwa Lake, about five minutes by car from the shore and nearby towns with shops and things. The host, Ahiru, has been beautifully restoring this antique farmhouse, which may be 150 years old, while bringing the bathroom and kitchen up to date. It’s clean throughout, with tatami floors in great condition. Dinner was made by Ahiru: rice cooked on a traditional wood stove, soup and skewers grilled over the firepit in the middle of the large common room. There’s also a filling homemade Japanese breakfast. A wonderful chance to stay in an authentic old farmhouse.

It’s an easy place to enjoy with kids, and you can play with the sweet duck and dog. The owner is kind, speaks basic English, and has newly renovated the toilet and kitchen, which feel very modern inside. The rooms are spacious and have modern electrical appliances, including air conditioning and a heater. We enjoyed the rice-cooking experience and dinner, and you can see a starry sky at night because there aren’t lights nearby. A lovely place to stay in a traditional Japanese house. I’d especially recommend sakura blossom season, since there are quite a few sakura trees at nearby sightseeing spots.